Ateneo - UPO

The workshop develops students' professional competences in instructional design, teaching practices, classroom observation, , and critical reflection on classroom practice from the perspective of the teacher-researcher. The course is built around participation in the action research project Conversazioni in lingua, carried out in collaboration with local schools, and integrates university-based learning, classroom-based practice, and collaborative reflection through the Lesson Study approach.

The selection of texts and in-depth readings is agreed upon according to the needs and interests of the students. The core reference list includes:

Action research:

Bartolini Bussi M.G., Ramploud A. (2018), Il lesson study per la formazione degli insegnanti, Roma, Carocci

Burns A. (2010), Doing Action Research in English Language Teaching: A Guide for Practitioners, New York/London, Routledge

Priestley M., Biesta G., Robinson S. (2015), Teacher Agency: An Ecological Approach, London, Bloomsbury

TBLT:

Willis D., Willis J. (2007), Doing Task-based Teaching, Oxford Handbooks for Language Teaching, Oxford, Oxford University Press.

Nunan D. (1989), Designing tasks for the communicative classroom, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press

Bonvino E. et al. (2023), Agire in L2. Processi e strumenti nella linguistica educativa, Milano, Hoepli

Instruments:

Consiglio d'Europa (2002 [2001]), Quadro Comune Europeo di Riferimento per le Lingue, Firenze, La Nuova Italia

Council of Europe (2018), CEFR Companion volume with new descriptors, Strasbourg, https://rm.coe.int/cefr-companion-volume-with-new-descriptors-2018/1680787989

Course organisation
This workshop carries 6 ECTS credits and requires approximately 150 hours of study, comprising 30 contact hours delivered through face-to-face workshop sessions and 120 hours of independent study.
All contact hours are delivered on campus through interactive workshop sessions.
Independent study includes participation in the Conversazioni in lingua project in collaboration with partner schools, together with individual and collaborative instructional design, classroom observation, documentation, and reflective practice.

Learning objectives
The workshop equips students with the methodological knowledge and practical competences required to design, teach, observe, and document a teaching module in authentic school settings, integrating the theoretical knowledge acquired throughout the degree programme with direct classroom experience.
Organised around progressively more complex professional tasks within the Conversazioni in lingua action research project, the workshop also promotes a professional perspective grounded in collaboration between universities and schools, dialogue between research and classroom practice, and reflective practice as a foundation for continuous professional development.
By the end of the workshop, students will be able to: design and teach a teching module that respond to learners' needs and intended learning outcomes; observe and critically analyse classroom practices and classroom interaction using appropriate observation and documentation tools; reflect on their own professional development through Lesson Study and action research, justifying their instructional decisions on the basis of classroom evidence, systematic observation, and the principal theoretical frameworks of Second Language Teaching.

Students are strongly advised to have completed, or to be attending, at least one course in Second Language Teaching.
As the workshop involves collaborative instructional design and teaching activities in authentic school settings, students are also expected to participate actively in group work and in all the activities included in the project.

The workshop adopts an experiential and collaborative approach based on students' active participation in an action research project carried out in partnership with local schools. Learning activities integrate theoretical preparation, classroom-based practice, and systematic reflection on professional practice, fostering an ongoing dialogue between research, instructional design, and teaching.
The workshop includes: workshop sessions devoted to instructional design, case analysis, and preparation of teaching activities; collaborative work in small groups to design, teach, observe, and document instructional modules through successive Lesson Study cycles; teaching activities in authentic school settings as part of the Conversazioni in lingua project; a final seminar devoted to documenting the experience and sharing the outcomes of the project.

The workshop is closely linked to the Conversazioni in lingua project, carried out in collaboration with local schools. Activities take place both at the University and at the partner schools involved in the project, according to the annual schedule. Regular attendance and active participation in both the workshop sessions and the Conversazioni in lingua project are essential components of the learning experience, as they provide students with opportunities to develop the professional competences addressed by the workshop.

Students are required to enrol in the workshop Moodle.DIR page, where teaching materials, practical information, the workshop schedule, instructional design and documentation tools, and all course announcements will be made available.
Students with disabilities, Specific Learning Disorders (SLD), or other Special Educational Needs (SEN) may request dedicated services and support by contacting the University's Student Services Office and consulting the relevant section of the University website.https://uniupo.it/it/servizi/servizi-studentesse-e-studenti-condizione-di-disabilità-e-dsa
Once they have contacted the University's support services, students are encouraged to discuss any required assessment arrangements or teaching-related accommodations with the course coordinator.

Assessment is designed to evaluate the extent to which students have achieved the intended learning outcomes of the workshop by demonstrating their ability to design, teach, observe, document, and critically analyse language teaching activities, while relating classroom experience to the principal theoretical and methodological frameworks of Second Language Teaching.
Assessment consists of two stages.

Formative assessment
Throughout the workshop, each student compiles an individual portfolio consisting of a reflective journal together with documentation of the instructional design, classroom observation, and reflective activities developed within the small-group project.
The portfolio enables the course instructor to monitor the progressive development of students' professional competences and to provide formative feedback that supports continuous improvement throughout the workshop.

Summative assessment
At the end of the workshop, students organise a final seminar in which each working group identifies one significant issue that emerged during the Lesson Study cycles and presents it through a structured oral presentation of approximately 20 minutes, followed by group discussion.

The workshop is assessed on a Pass/Fail basis.
The final assessment is based on: regular attendance and active participation in both the workshop and the Conversazioni in lingua project; the quality, completeness, and critical depth of the individual portfolio as evidence of the student's instructional design, classroom observation, documentation, and reflective practice; the quality of the group's contribution to the final seminar, evaluated in terms of relevance, analytical rigour, ability to relate classroom experience to theoretical and methodological frameworks, and clarity of presentation.
A Pass is awarded to students who demonstrate, through their portfolio and participation in the final seminar, that they have achieved the intended learning outcomes of the workshop. In particular, students are expected to demonstrate that they can: explain the principles of Lesson Study and action research; design, teach, observe, and document instructional sequences; engage in critical reflection on their own professional practice; communicate their experience clearly and appropriately, justifying instructional decisions on the basis of classroom evidence and the principal theoretical and methodological frameworks of the discipline.
A Fail is awarded to students who have not participated regularly in workshop activities, have failed to document their learning process adequately, or have not made a meaningful contribution to the preparation and presentation of the final seminar.
Detailed guidance for the final assessment is published at the beginning of the workshop on the Moodle.DIR course page.

The workshop progressively guides students through the design, delivery, observation, and documentation of an authentic language teaching experience carried out in collaboration with local schools. Through active participation in the Conversazioni in lingua project, the workshop combines university-based learning, collaborative instructional design, classroom-based practice, and systematic reflection on professional practice. Lesson Study provides the methodological framework for the entire workshop and informs each stage of the cycle of instructional design, classroom observation, analysis, and redesign.

Module 1. Understanding the Project and the Educational Context
Professional task
Analyse the educational context and define one's role within the action research project.
Contents and learning activities
Introduction to the project and the partner schools. The language teacher as a reflective practitioner. Principles of Lesson Study and action research. Analysis of educational contexts and identification of the learning objectives of the instructional modules.

Module 2. Designing the Instructional Module
Professional task
Collaboratively design an instructional module that addresses learners' needs and intended learning outcomes.
Contents and learning activities
Needs analysis, identification of learning objectives, collaborative instructional design, selection and adaptation of teaching materials, lesson planning, and preparation of classroom observation and documentation tools.

Module 3. Teaching and Observing Instructional Activities
Professional task
Deliver an instructional module, systematically observe classroom processes, and collect evidence to support professional reflection.
Contents and learning activities
Delivery of the instructional module in partner schools. Systematic classroom observation, collection of teaching materials, and documentation of the experience using shared observation tools developed by the working group.

Module 4. Reflecting and Redesigning through Lesson Study
Professional task
Critically analyse classroom evidence and collaboratively redesign the instructional module.
Contents and learning activities
Lesson Study meetings devoted to discussing completed lessons, analysing classroom evidence, identifying strengths and areas for improvement, and collaboratively redesigning subsequent lessons.

Module 5. Documenting and Disseminating Classroom-Based Research
Professional task
Document the project and communicate its outcomes critically within the professional community.
Contents and learning activities
Preparation of the final project documentation, reflection on individual and collaborative professional development, and presentation and discussion of the experience during the final seminar involving university students and teachers from the partner schools.
Where relevant to the topics addressed, the workshop also considers the role of inclusive language, gender perspectives, and school-university collaboration in the design and evaluation of educational practices.

Knowledge and understanding
By the end of the workshop, students will be able to explain the principles underlying collaborative instructional design, Lesson Study, action research, and educational documentation as tools for the professional development of second language teachers. They will also understand the role of systematic classroom observation and reflective practice in improving language teaching and will be able to relate these principles critically to the educational contexts in which they have worked.

Applying knowledge and understanding
Students will be able to design, teach, observe, and document an instructional module in an authentic educational setting, working collaboratively with peers throughout the planning, implementation, and analysis of classroom data. They will also be able to revise instructional activities independently and justify their decisions on the basis of evidence collected during successive Lesson Study cycles.

Making informed judgements
Students will be able to analyse their own teaching and that of their peers, identifying strengths and areas for improvement on the basis of classroom evidence and feedback. They will be able to justify instructional decisions independently by drawing on explicit criteria, theoretical frameworks, and empirical evidence, including in situations that have not previously been discussed during the workshop.

Communication skills
Students will be able to document and present the instructional design process and the outcomes of their teaching activities clearly and effectively, using appropriate professional terminology. At a more advanced level, they will be able to contribute critically to collaborative discussions and to the dissemination of project outcomes during the final seminar.

Learning skills
Students will be able to use documentation, collaborative dialogue, and systematic reflection as tools for continuous professional learning. They will also be able to plan their own professional development by integrating classroom observation, instructional experimentation, and dialogue between research and teaching beyond the specific context of the workshop.